Chocolate Ice Cream and Broken Hearts
by blacksouledbutterfly
Summary: Ron's gone and screwed up again. Heartbroken and in pain Hermione clings on to her friends for comfort. But maybe all her broken heart needs is chocolate ice cream, a few laughs, and an unexpected love.
1. A Surprise For Molly

Disclaimer:I do not own Harry Potter, only the plot.

* * *

Hermione Granger should have been furious. Maybe she was. Truth be told she was to upset to be angry. She felt like her heart was being torn out of her chest. No, that wasn't a good way to describe it. It wasn't as though she truly knew what it was like to get your heart torn out of your chest, but she might as well have for all of the pain she was in. She blinked back tears, took a deep breath, but the pain was a burning sensation in the back of her throat. She felt sick, felt the bile rise in the back of her throat. She rubbed harshly at her eyes, hiccuping as the continued to cry.

"He's a git."

She shook her head. "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

"Rubbish."

"I did this to him," she insisted. Nothing was right. Why not blame herself? What could it hurt?

"_You_ didn't do anything, Hermione. _He _hurt you, not the other way around."

"I made him do it. If I had been prettier, or more fun-"

"That's bullocks and you know it!"

She sniffled, pressing her face further into her pillow. It smelled like him, the whole Burrow did. She was so angry at herself. Why did she come there? Summer was almost over! Why not wait and see him at school? No, she wanted to see Ron, had to see Ron, felt the need build up like a snake coiling up in her chest. She had been such a fool to believe he wanted to see her too. "I was stupid to come here."

"Hermione, you are always welcome here."

"He doesn't want me here."

"I told you, he's a git. A prat. A bloody moron. You know that, Hermione."

"But he's not!"

"He is."

Her body shook as another fit of crying broke through her body. "Why does it have to hurt so bad?"

The bed shifted as he sat down next to her. "Love always does, Hermione. You're a smart enough girl to figure it out."

"I'm not smart. I'm stupid."

He scoffed. "You, Hermione Granger, are anything but. A little pushy, a bit to serious at time, and a hopeless bookworm, but you are far from stupid."

"Then why did I get hurt so badly?"

"Because you fell for him. Hard."

"Because I'm stupid."

"You're not stupid."

"I want to crawl under this bloody bed and die. It hurts so much. My heart is being torn apart."

"You don't want to die, Hermione. Right now it may feel like you do, but you don't. It'll get better."

"No, it won't!"

She felt a warm hand reach out and stroke her hair. "It will. It'll just take time. I know its hard, and right now it hurts more than anything, but it will get better."

"I just want everything to be normal again."

"It can't be."

She lifted her head up, turning to glare at him halfheartedly. "Why not? Why can't it ever be the same again?"

Fred smiled down at her sadly. "Because, he messed up. Rather badly. That can never be undone."

"I want to die."

"No you don't. You want him to die."

"Yes, that too."

"It'll pass."

She pressed her face back against the pillow and continued to cry, feeling him stroke her hair and listening to him mumble: "_It'll pass...it'll pass...it'll pass...it'll pass...it'll pass...it'll pass...it'll pass...it'll pass..._ "

* * *

Ron Weasley sat at the breakfast table at the Burrow stuffing his face with pancakes. His mother, Molly, was busy in the kitchen, talking to his father about some business at the Ministry. What is was, Ron couldn't care less about. He was more concerned with getting his fill before his brothers came and ate. Not to say that Molly made a small amount of food that morning. Oh, on the contrary. She had made plenty, but Ron was unusually hungry that morning, and the prospect of his brothers eating the food was almost enough to make him sick.

The door to the Burrow opened and closed as his father headed off to work. His mother was still mumbling in the kitchen, but now about how much work there was to be done before the start of term.

As footsteps began to descend down the stairs towards the kitchen Ron quickly pilled a few more pancakes onto his plate and dug his fork into them, marking them as his own. He waited, anxiously, for his brothers to enter the kitchen. He was too afraid that the food would be gone in a matter of moments to worry about anything else.

Fred and George Weasley entered the kitchen each, for once, looking as though they were actually awake. The twins stopped at the landing, glanced at each other, nodded and then proceeded into the kitchen, only to smack Ron on the head each in turn.

"Oi!" Bits of food flew from Ron's mouth as he grabbed his head. "What was that for?"

"You're a right foul git," Fred told him scathingly as he sat across from him.

"Completely horrid," George agreed taking a seat next to his twin.

"What did I do?"

"You are a complete and total wanker. You do know that, don't you?" Fred shook his head in disgust.

"You don't even deserve to be sitting here and eating Mum's food. As a matter of fact she would beat your arse raw if she knew what you did. Think we should tell her Fred?"

"By all means George. Would serve the little wanker well to get the tar beaten out of him."

"Right you are."

"What in the bloody hell did I do?"

"Jerk!" A new smack upside the head.

Ginny glared her brother as she grabbed an orange from the bowl in the center of the table.

"Not you too!"

She glared at him for a moment before turning to the twins. "Should I take up a plate?"

The two shrugged. "Can't hurt," Fred said. "Might not do any good mind you, but can't hurt."

Ron glanced at his siblings deciding they were completely mental. He watched Ginny place three pancakes on a plate, grab another orange, and send him another glare as she headed upstairs.

Molly came rushing into the kitchen. "Oh, good, you two boys are up. Don't want to be late for work."

Fred smiled at his mother, but there was something in his eyes that told Ron he was up to no good. "It's Ron you should have expected to sleep late," he told her.

"He had a rather long night last night," George added, smiling slightly. "Didn't you Ron?"

"N-n-no." What were they on about he wondered.

"'Course you did Ron. Don't you remember? Up all hours last night, you were. Made an awful bloody racket too."

"I was not! I did not!"

"Ron, dear, did you really stay up late?"

Ron turned to his mother. "No. I didn't."

Fred scoffed. "Really Ron. Lying to Mum's face like that. Now from George and I-"

"-it's expected," George finished. "But from you?"

Fred clutched his chest dramatically. "It'll break her heart."

Molly swatted at both of her sons. "Stop it you two. Leave Ron alone."

"But Mum, ask him what he did last night. Ask him."

Molly sighed. "Oh, alright. If it will get you two to quiet down I will." She turned to her youngest son. "Ronald, what did you do last night?"

"Nothing."

"He was entertaining," Fred told her.

"A...friend."

"A friend? What friend George?"

"A girl. From school."

Molly placed her hands on her waist. "Did Hermione come by last night?"

Fred laughed slightly. "It wasn't Hermione, Mum. And not that kind of friend."

George's face broke out into a wicked grin. "Your son was shagging Lavender Brown, his former girlfriend, under your own roof."

Molly glanced between her three sons, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "He...he...he did what?"

"I did not!" Ron protested.

"Did too!" Ginny was entering the kitchen carrying the plate, untouched. "We all heard you. Surprised Mum didn't, you jerk."

"I-"

"Ronald Weasley! How dare you! In my house!"

"But Mum-"

Ron, however, did not get to finish that sentence before a pitcher of milk was poured over his head. He sat there for a moment, gapping, before he turned to see Hermione holding the now empty pitcher, looking down at him with bloodshot eyes. "Hermione, I-"

"Do.Not.Even.Try.To.Explain.This.Away.Ronald." Her teeth were gritted. "I hate you, you bloody git. How could you do this to me?"

"Hermione-"

But Hermione had put a hand to her mouth and was running back up the stairs crying.

"You broke her heart, Ron," Ginny hissed.

Fred took a bite of his pancake smiling at his Mum. "Pretty sure he forgot a charm to prevent pregnancy too."

Molly Weasley, her head spinning, opened her mouth to speak but instead fainted.


	2. Harry's Arrival

A/N: I am just letting you know I am using the actors who play the characters in the movies when I describe the characters so there is no confusion with the way they are described in the book.

* * *

When Harry arrived at the Burrow the next morning he could not understand the tension that filled the house. It seemed to him that every step he took earned him a glare, so, to keep the peace in the house, he decided it would be safest to sit down on the floor of Ginny's room in front of her legs.

Had they not decided- no, had he not decided that them being together was far too dangerous for them to be together than he would have been sitting on the bed next to her. As it were, with the tension already in the house, the added awkwardness would have been, well, apprehensible.

Harry's gaze skipped across the room to Hermione who, uncharacteristically, was quiet since he got there. He cleared his throat rather loudly and the brown haired girl jumped with a start. "Are you alright, Hermione?"

"Perfectly fine. Never better. The best I've felt in years." She forced a smile. "Why?"

"You're being unusually quiet, that's all."

Hermione gathered the books spread out in front of her hastily in her arms, casting him an almost angry look. "I'm perfectly fine, Harry." She nodded quickly at Ginny, arose from her spot and fled from the room as though her very life depended on it.

Harry glanced around the room, confusion etched across his face. "What did I do?"

Ginny sighed from her perch on her bed, leaning over so her head hung over the edge, glancing quickly at him. "You didn't do anything. It's not you, really."

"Then why did she run-"

"She's not upset at you Harry, you bloody git." She knocked quickly on the top of his head as if to ask if there was anyone home inside of that head of his. "She was already upset when you got here, incase you didn't notice."

"well, um, I did, but I didn't know why."

"And you don't now either."

"Well, why is she upset?"

Ginny shrugged rather awkwardly in her position. "Not my place to tell you really. Besides, you'll figure it our soon enough, won't you? The rest of the house knows, and some of us, like Fred and George, are not so skilled at keeping our mouths shut. By the time we return to Hogwarts, you'll know. No doubt about it."

"And if no one opens their mouth?"

Ginny looked at him for a long time. "Then, if by the night before we leave somehow the twins have gained common sense and kept their mouths shut, I will be more than willing to tell you what has gotten Hermione's nickers in a twist. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough."

"Good."

* * *

Hermione Granger sighed from her spot on "her" bed. She had to admit, it was rather kind of Molly to let her stay in Percy's old room, considering how much she hopes Percy would give up being a selfish prat and come home soon. It was, in fact, a comfort to be away from everyone, even if it was only to sleep and study. That, in and of itself, was enough.

She felt horrible for running away from Harry. In truth she knew she had no reason to do so. She wasn't mad at Harry, not in the slightest. He had done nothing to her. Truth be told if he knew what Ron had done he would have been as mad at him as she herself was, but she couldn't talk about it. Not yet.

There came a soft knocking at the door, and for a moment Hermione contemplated not answering, but decided against it. Odds were it was not Ron, after all every time he had come to speak to her since the "event" he had been hexed good and plenty.

Clearing her throat she called out into the space of the room. "Come in!"

The door creaked open and a redhead popped in. Fred Weasley smiled cautiously. "Can George and I come in?"

Hermione sighed. "I suppose it could do no harm." She closed the book in front of her as the two Weasley twins made their way into the room.

She had never really looked at Fred and George. They were actually rather tall, taller than Ron, and there was a subtle difference to the two. She could understand where someone who did not know the twins well would think them to be completely identical, but when you really looked at them it was easy to see they were not. Fred was slightly taller than George, only by an inch or so, and he wore his hear a little longer. His voice, she noted, was also a slight deeper.

The twins took seats on the floor across from her, their long legs stretched out in front of them. "Feeling better?" George inquired.

"What do you think?"

"Us?" Fred asked. "Think?"

"Now I know you're smarter than that," George said. "You know us better than that."

"We never think. Not unless it's to think up-"

"-a new and improved gag-"

"-or to make Mum go completely nutter. That happens to be Ron's job at the moment however." He smiled at her warily. "Don't let the git upset you this much."

"But-" Hermione stopped and shook her head. "I can't help it."

"Yes, you can," George said. "He's a git"

"A supreme git."

"He's not worth your time."

"He's stupid you know, cheating on you-"

"-with Lavender of all the people-"

"-the bloody air head she is-"

"-so don't let him get to you. You're so much better than that-"

"-and you're too good for him." Fred gave her a small wink. "After all, and older woman and a younger man? How scandalous!"

Despite herself she found herself smiling. The twins, despite their certain annoying mannerisms, were always the best people to turn to when looking for amusement, or cheering up. "If I'm too good for him, then why didn't he want me?"

"He did," George told her. "He was just too stupid to, I believe the muggle term is, keep it in his pants."

Fred nodded in agreement. "Don't forget, he was never the smart on in the family. Now us?"

"We would never cheat on a girl."

"Because we are not as dumb as he is."

Fred and George exchanged glances. "Want us to get back at him for you?" Fred asked.

"We'd more than willing to," George agreed.

The offer, she admitted, was tempting. She did want to get back at Ron for how he hurt her, but that would have been the immature thing to do, and whatever Hermione was, she was not as immature as Ronald Weasley. She took a deep breath, pushing down all her thoughts of revenge and shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, more than you can imagine, but no, thank you."

The twins looked absolutely mortified.

"Why not? He hurt you! Badly!"

"I know Fred."

"He deserves to be hurt in return!"

"I know George."

"So why won't you let us help you get revenge on him?"

"Because that would make me as bad as him."

There was silence in the room for a moment before Molly's booming voice filled the room. "DINNER!"

Fred and George smiled at Hermione, standing up. "Come on Hermione," Fred said. "Let's go downstairs and ignore the git."

* * *

Harry glanced around the almost but silent table. He would have said it was silent had it not been for the sound of clinking plates and utensils.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Where is Mr. Weasley tonight?"

"Working I'm afraid," Mrs. Weasley answered quickly. "Been far more busy lately than he has been in years."

Ginny sighed, glancing to her left at Harry. "Could you please ask Ron to pass the potatoes?"

Harry frowned at her in confusion. "Can't you ask him?"

"Harry, please."

"Alright." He shook his head, turning to Ron. "Can you pass the potatoes to Ginny?"

Ron scowled in the general direction of his sister. "Sure thing. Can you tell Ginny to sod off please?" He shoved the bowl into Harry's outstretched hands.

"Ronald Weasley, watch your mouth!" Molly scolded.

"He should be watching other things as well," Ginny muttered as she spooned potatoes onto her plate from the bowl Harry had handed her. She smiled over at Hermione. "Potatoes?"

Hermione nodded slightly. "Yes, please." She spooned some at her plate and glanced at Molly. "How is Bill? And Fleur?"

For a second Molly looked at though she did not want to answer, but then dabbed her mouth with her napkin and swallowed hard before answering. "They're doing well. Planning the wedding, of course. Oh, that reminds me, both you and Ginny should be expecting an owl from them shortly regarding the wedding. Or at least that's what Bill told me."

Hermione nodded, almost absent mindedly. She really hadn't cared much about what was going on in the lives of Bill and Fleur. She just couldn't stand the silence filling the room. She cleared her throat loudly. "So, Fred, George, how is the store doing? Well?"

Fred nodded slightly. "Very well actually." He glanced over at George. "Isn't that right George?"

"Right Fred, very well." He glanced at Harry. "How was your summer, Harry?"

"As horrible as usual?"

"Or was Grimmauld place alright?"

"Had to be better than the muggles, George."

"Right you are, Fred. Anything must be better than the muggles." He coughed quietly to hid a laugh. "Well, unless Tonks was trying to help around the house. That could be a disaster."

"A big disaster."

"Um, it was actually alright," Harry said quietly.

The twins glanced at each other, and then over at Harry. "So, Harry," Fred began. "Did you hear what Ron did this summer?"

"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley's eyes were bugging out of her head. "Don't you dare!"

"You bloody git! Keep your stupid mouth shut!" Ron was steadily turning bright red."

The twins, however, ignored both. "Caused quite a stir, it did," George continued.

"Shut the hell up!" Ron's hands were clasped so tightly on the edge of the table that his knuckles were turning white.

"So, Harry, did you hear?" Fred pushed.

"Um, no," Harry answered, rather uncertainly.

The twins glanced at each other. "Slept with Lavender Brown, he did," George said.

"In this house, under Mum's roof, the night Hermione got here." Fred glanced at Ron quickly. "We could all hear him!"

"I am going to kill you!"

Ron lunged out of his seat, which made Ginny reach out and grab his arm. He pushed her away and pushed her a little too hard, knocking her into Harry, who lost his balance and smashed his hand down onto his plate. With a loud pop the mashed potatoes on his plate went flying into the air and landed on Molly's lap. Molly, who was by this point beyond angry, stood up and was screaming at everyone to be quiet and calm down, but she went ignored, because Ginny grabbed a handful of potatoes and smashed them into Ron's face for pushing her over which started the biggest food fight the Burrow had ever seen.

Hermione glanced around the table and decided to duck underneath it as a handful of peas flew in her direction. She sat beneath the table, her legs pulled up to her chest, listening to the yelling and watching the food fly.

The table cloth lifted up as Fred and George slid their way under the table with her. Smeared across Fred's face and on his clothes there was potatoes and peas were stuck in his hair. On George's head was what Hermione assumed was the pie Molly had made for desert.

The twins smiled at her from around the food all over them. "Well, this is a story to tell your grandchildren someday, now isn't it?"

Hermione, looking at their food covered faces, burst out laughing.


	3. The Bertie Bott's Beans Story

A/N: There is some dark elements further down in the story, but considering this is Harry Potter there was bound to be some. This will be more humor later, but this is important for the story line. Please forgive me for it.

* * *

Silence. It was golden. Of course around the Burrow that didn't last long. A loud 'pop' sounded next to Hermione's ear. She jumped, practically sliding out of her seat.

Bill Weasley smiled over at her, dusting himself off, though she couldn't understand why. It wasn't as though he traveled by floo powder. Perhaps he had sand on him. Molly had mentioned that he was back in Egypt for a short period of time.

Hermione glanced at Bill quickly. He was attractive, she supposed. His face was rather sweet, almost verging on the side of pretty, a slightly feminine flair to it. His nose was slightly and almost seemed to small for his face, but somehow it fit. His eyes were a brilliant bright blue, and his long hair helped that slight feminine effect. It did fit him well, however. Even the scars that he had gotten during the fight at Hogwarts added a certain charm to him. "Sorry about that, Hermione. Didn't mean to startle you."

Hermione hoisted herself back up into position, smiling slightly, shaking her head. "Oh, no, it's fine. You didn't scare me. Not really."

Bill tilted her head as if to tell her he did not believe that. "Is my mum here?"

"I think she's upstairs. She was rather angry with the Fred and George this morning. She's most likely up there yelling at them for whatever they did."

Bill took a seat across from her. "I, um, heard about what Ron did. Ginny sent me an owl."

Hermione folded her arms across her chest suddenly feeling very tense. "I don't want to talk about it."

Bill nodded so slightly that she wasn't even sure if he had. "That's perfectly fine, Hermione. Understandable, but could I tell you a little story?"

"I suppose."

"Okay. Once, when Charlie and I were younger, mum bought us a rather gigantic box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Of course it may have been larger to us because we were so small. Either way, if you've ever had Bertie Bott's Beans you know that every time you reach in to grab one it is an adventure in and of itself. Now Charlie had already eaten a fair few beans, but I myself having never had any before was reluctant to try any. Charlie kept telling me I had to try one, that it was great fun, so I did. Unfortunately for me I happened to get a vomit flavored one. I don't think I need to tell you how horrid that tasted. I never wanted to eat another one again. I flat out refused to for years. It wasn't until the twins were younger and mum had bought a box for Charlie, Percy and myself to share, years later, that Charlie could convince me to try another one. This time I got a strawberry flavored one. The point of this story was I was ready to give up and never have another bean because I got one bad one. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"No, not really."

"You will," he assured her, standing up. "Now, I'm going to go find mum. I'll talk to you later, Hermione."

Hermione watched him head up the stairs, shaking her head. "Why are all Weasley boys so confusing?"

"I resent that!"

"We are not all confusing!"

"We are actually very easy to understand!"

Hermione smiled to herself as she turned around. "Fred, George, you two are the most complicated of all."

"Feeling better?" Fred asked, a small smile on his face.

Hermione shrugged slightly. "I suppose...no, not really. That was a lie."

"Hermione Granger lied? Can you believe it, Fred?"

"George, I can't. This is Hermione, after all. She doesn't lie! But, I must say, I am rather proud of her for doing it now."

"As am I. I think she deserves a gift for learning so much from us."

"As do I, George." He turned to smile at Hermione. "So, Hermione, how would you like to join the two smartest, most handsome, most charming Weasley children for some ice cream?"

Hermione smiled at them slightly. "That would be lovely, but I suppose I will settle for going with the two of you."

Fred laughed wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Hermione, you never cease to amaze."

* * *

Hermione walked into the kitchen of the Burrow laughing with the twins, but the laughter stopped abruptly at the look on everyone's faces. "What's wrong? Did something happen? Is someone hurt?" So many questions were rushing through her head that she didn't know which to ask first, or which one she wanted answered first.

"Dad sent us an owl from work," Ginny told her. "They found Malfoy. Captured him. He's in Azkaban."

Hermione stood there silently for a moment. "Won't he be able to get out of Azkaban?"

"New security," Molly told her. "Aurors are guarding all entrances of the prison."

"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it? Everyone seems so...upset."

"Hermione, there's something else."

Her eyes jumped over to Harry. "Well, what is it?"

"They were trying to question him, Malfoy. He won't talk to them."

"Expected."

"No, Hermione, it isn't that he won't talk. It's that he won't talk to them."

Hermione frowned. "Well, then who will he talk to?"

"You, Hermione. He said he's only talk to you."

Hermione's head began to spin. She stumbled over to the chair. "Me? He'll only talk to me? But...but why? He hates me!"

"I don't know, Hermione, but you have to speak to him."

"What?"

"Harry's right, Hermione." Bill took a seat across from her. "Draco Malfoy may very well have important information for us, and unless you talk to him we won't know what he knows. I know this is not something easy that I ask of you, but you need to do this if we are going to learn anything. Please, Hermione, for the future of our world. Will you help us?"

* * *

Azkaban was nothing like Hermione imagined. True, it was dark and dismal, but the outside made it look at least slightly inviting. The inside however was something that Hermione would never forget. The walls were crumbling, covered with mold and cobwebs. She imagined that there had not even been any cleaning done in there for sometime.

The "guard" that led her to Malfoy's cell was an Auror that she had seen at some of the meetings during the summer before her fifth year at Grimmuald Place, but she couldn't place his name.

She stood on the other side of the bars, starring into Malfoy's cell. Draco sat on the bench on the far side, her leg pulled up to his chest. He gazed out at her, his expression empty. She wondered what he was thinking. Was he wishing he had his wand so he could kill her right there?

The cell slid open with a bang. Hermione jumped backwards, clutching her chest.

"Scared Granger?"

Hermione glared at him scathingly. How dare he imply that she was afraid of this place, even if it were true. She made her way into the cell and braced herself as it slid closed behind her. She kept reminding herself that she was safe there, that Draco couldn't hurt her. He was harmless here. "I heard you wanted to speak to me."

Malfoy wasn't looking at her any longer. He was looking at the far wall. "What is it like?"

"What?"

"The sun...I don't remember. I've been hiding from it for months, and now, here, there is no sun. What is it like?"

Hermione frowned. What was he babbling about? "It's...well, its warm. Comforting. Like someone's wrapping their arms around you, keeping you safe. Its...it feels like home, because no matter where you go, there is a sun at some time."

Malfoy scoffed. "Must be nice."

"What must?"

"To have a home." He shook his head, turning his attention to her again. "I never killed anyone, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Didn't kill a single person. Don't get me wrong, I tried to kill Dumbledore, not that you didn't already know that. Didn't try very hard to be honest, but I did try. Never actually killed anyone though." He pushed up the sleeve of his grungy prison issue uniform. There, standing out starkly on his pale skin was the Dark Mark. "Do you have any idea how much this hurt? Imagine someone sticking red hot needles into your eyes, Granger. That's how much. He takes pleasure in it, the Dark Lord that is. Finds it amusing."

"Malfoy, not to sound like a bitch or anything, but what does any of this have to do with anything?"

"Patience, Granger. I very well may be here for the rest of my life. You can spare a few extra minutes." He covered his arm again as if suddenly horrified by the sight of it. "Do you know what its like, Granger? To always be in the shadow of someone else? First in my father's, then in Potter's. Son of a great and powerful pureblood. A Death Eater. Never stood a chance, you know. It was my destiny, was born into me. I was going to be like him, become a Death Eater, marry a pureblood, breed pureblooded children who hate muggle borns. It was bred into me from the time I was old enough to understand my father. I was in his shadow, then Potter's. Famous Harry Potter. What was so special about him? He lived. It wasn't even something he did. It was luck. So what made him so special? I don't understand it."

He sprang up from his seat so fast that Hermione stumbled back, placing her hands on the bars of the cell. Draco began to pace back and forth in the cell. "I didn't want to kill Dumbledore, you know that don't you? I mean, I didn't like the man, but he never tried to make me into a clone of someone. He was an annoying old man, but he didn't deserve to die." He turned to look at her suddenly. "If you keep coming here to speak with me, I will give you all the information that you guys need. Names, locations, whatever, just come and talk to me about this and I will."

"Why me?"

"Because, Granger, I would want to shock you with everything I could. Why lie about not killing people? I never have lied to you. I've been cruel and horrible, but I never lied. Besides, lying would get me nowhere. Potter will pull another miracle out of thin air no matter what, so trying to trick you by feeding you false information will do no good. Might as well try to get leverage for myself by giving you information."

* * *

Hermione stood outside her room at the Burrow with her eyes closed tight. Her adventure at Azkaban would be one she wouldn't forget for a long time. That place would haunt her nightmares for some time.

"How was it?"

Hermione opened her eyes slowly, turning to look at Fred. "Horrible. I thought every one was asleep."

"Every one is. Except me." He smiled at her slightly. "Was is that bad?"

"Yeah."

"But you survived."

"Guess I did."

"You know, you're an unbelievably strong person, Hermione."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes you are. With all the things that you've been going through lately, you are keeping yourself in one piece. That's amazing."

"I had a nervous breakdown after Ron..."

"A small one, and that's all right. Its normal."

She smiled at him slightly. "Since when were you serious?"

"I'm tired. It can happen when I haven't slept."

"No, it's a nice change. Um, Fred?"

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to thank you. Well, you and George. You've been so nice to me since this whole thing with Ron. I...well, thank you."

He smiled at her brightly. She had never noticed how nice he looked when he smiled. "Don't mention it. You just have to write to us after you go back to school tomorrow. Promise?"

"Promise."

Fred looked at her for a long moment before he leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. There was no subtext there, very innocent, but at the same time it made Hermione feel tense.

"I can see why Ron fell for you."

He made his way to his room all too aware on Hermione's eyes on his back.


	4. Of Evil Thoughts

Fred's unexpected words reverberated inside of her head for most of the night. Though the words were rather sweet she found them also rather unnerving. Never before had she known Fred Weasley to be the kind of person to say such things without an ulterior motive. Although since as of late the twins had been working to help her feel better after Ron's betrayal she supposed that was probably what Fred's intention had been.

She felt very grateful that the twins had been trying to make her feel better after the whole mess. True, Ginny had been undeniably on her side, but the twins were always much better for a laugh. And laughter was exactly what she needed to stop herself from crying over the bloody prat that was Ronald Weasley.

Sitting on the train to Hogwarts she had opted not to sit in the same compartment as Ron – which by extension meant not in the same compartment as Harry. Though she knew that Harry also felt that Ron had been moronic she also knew that they were close and she would never hold that against Harry. He could continue to be friends with Ron if that's what he wanted. She could care less.

Her thoughts went briefly to Malfoy, in his cell in Azkaban. She wondered what it was like to be there for more than the hour she had been there. In that short amount of time she had felt her skin grow cold and felt like she wanted to run out of their screaming. Normally she was rather brave, but that place was like a vortex that sucked out all energy, all happiness.

So what was it like for Malfoy to be stuck there, day in and day out? Surely it was like hell on earth. Not that she really cared, of course. Not beyond the fact that she believed no man should be subjected to cruel treatment. Not even Malfoy.

The idea that he wanted to speak to her and only her was one she couldn't quite figure out. Sure, it would stand to reason that if he could convince her of all people that he was telling the truth that he could convince anyone, but she was sure that there were people he liked better that he could spend his time talking to. And she wasn't looking forward to the idea of having to go back to Azkaban and see him from time to time. Not only did she hate that place, but that meant being transported by the ministry to go and see him.

This, she decided, wasn't going to be a very good year. That was proven to be true when at the feast Lavender had decided to park herself next to Ron, constantly finding a reason to touch him. She'd lean against him and smile, laughing at Ron's pathetic attempts at humor. It made Hermione's stomach churn to watch them like that, all sweet and cute when they had both been the cause of her broken heart. Didn't they know it was poor manners to do such a thing in front of the person they hurt? Didn't they realize what it did to her when she saw them acting like that? If they knew all that it was obvious that they didn't care.

For her part Ginny looked disgusted by their behavior. Every time Lavender would slip into a sickeningly cutesy voice the redhead's nose would crinkle in disgust and she'd stab violently at her plate. Hermione wasn't sure if Ginny had ever liked Lavender, but she was positive that right at that moment she didn't.

She did, however, feel sorry for Harry. It must have been rather hard for him to be stuck in the middle of both Ron and Hermione; torn between his two friends and knowing that if he sided with either of them the other would feel betrayed and complain about him being disloyal.

The display between Ron and his little 'girlfriend' had been sickening enough that Hermione found herself barely able to eat. Every time she tried to bring the fork to her mouth she would have to force herself to take a small bite when what she really wanted to do was start a food fight like the one that had occurred at the Weasley's home- only this time with the whole of Hogwarts there it would be on a larger scale. The idea of Lavender picking food out of her hair made her smile. That would be a good start at retribution. But her respect for the school was what convinced her not to go through with it. After all, she doubted very much that the professors would like the idea of a massive food fight in the Great Hall.

By the time she got back to the common room she had come up with about a hundred individual ways to take out her annoyance on Ron and Lavender. She surprised even herself with some of the disturbing images that she had conjured up in her head. Of course she never could have gone through with most of them even if given the chance- some were rather bloody such as the idea of pulling each of Lavender's nails out one by one- but the fact that she could imagine these things happening to them was enough to cheer her up. If only a little. In truth it would take a great deal more to make her feel actually better. And she knew that would take a long time- even with her friends trying to make her realize that maybe in the long run that it was all for the best.

But how, she wondered, could it be in her best interest that her heart got broken by the one person she never thought would be possible to do that? To most people it had been obvious that Ron started to develop feelings for her a few years before, so what sense did it make that he would break her heart like that? In what world does a guy hurt the person they wanted to be with? Okay, she knew that often times people _did_ in fact hurt the people they loved the most, but that didn't make it anymore logical or make it hurt any less. If anything it made her more annoyed to know that she had become a statistic.

Then her mind went back to Malfoy. Only a day into the school year and already the fact that he hadn't been there to try to make her and Harry and Ron's lives a living hell was making her feel rather conflicted. When you become accustomed to something and it suddenly isn't there anymore you find yourself unable to figure out exactly what to do to handle it. And though it wasn't so much that she missed having Malfoy around as it was she was used to him being there, she wished he was in fact back at school. That little bit of familiarity would have helped her in this time of sorrow.

How strange, she thought, that she actually wanted Draco Malfoy back in her life. She honestly could say she never thought that it would be possible for her to miss him that much. Okay, not Malfoy himself, but the idea of him being there. She craved that conflict, to have someone she could go off on without looking like a jealous psycho. With Malfoy it would have been expected for her to get angry at him, to blow up at him. If he had been there she would get her release. But he was stuck in Azkaban and she wouldn't have anyone to blow up at.

Once she had grown tired of the endless chatter that filled the common room she had excused herself and returned to her bed, crawling under the covers in hopes of escaping the annoyance that day had brought. Sleep, she believed, would be the best thing for her at the moment. And perhaps the only thing that would distract her from what was going on in her world at the moment.

But as her day had been, her dreams brought her the presence of two members of the Weasley family. Though rather than one of them being the current bane of her existence, this time she found herself in the presence of the two people that had tried to make her feel better after being betrayed. She wasn't sure if she should have been that excited to see Fred and George invading her dreams, but she found herself smiling despite herself when she saw their faces.

"Feeling any better, Hermione?"

"Lock Ron in a room full of spiders yet?" She had actually come up with that idea herself but figured that she would get into a great deal of trouble if she had actually done that. Ron would most likely end up in the hospital wing and then she'd have to explain to the professors how it was that he had gotten locked into the room to begin with. And of course she would have been punished for being cruel enough to use Ron's fear against him- even if he _did_ deserve it after what he did.

She shook her head. "No, afraid not. Not willing to get into trouble."

"Fair point."

"Not worth getting yourself into hot water over the likes of him, is it?"

"Certainly not. Besides, the wanker will get what he deserves in time."

"Exactly. Karma always kicks wankers in the arse, don't you know."

"And he is one wanker who deserves a rather large kick in the arse."

She couldn't help it. She felt herself starting to smile, the edge of her mouth curling up. "Wouldn't your mother love to know you're talking about your little brother like that?"

"Mum knows we love the wanker."

"We just think he's gone completely mental, that's all."

"Complete nutter that one."

"And Mum is mad at him too for what he did."

"And where he did it."

"I think smoke is still coming out of her ears actually."

"Lots of it."

Hermione leaned back against the invisible wall. How apt it would be that when she went to sleep feeling down the twins would appear to her. Now she had managed to smile despite her day, she had found amusement while she had thought she wouldn't be able to find any. They had managed to lift her spirits once more.

"Don't worry too much, Hermione."

"That's right. Worrying won't help, right?"

"Besides, things can only get better."

"Too right. Isn't that how it goes? Bad things all lead to good?"

"Exactly. No worries now, Hermione."

"Just get some rest."

"Tomorrow is another day. Maybe you'll set Ron's hair on fire, yeah?"

An actual smile broke out across her face as she felt herself slip into darkness.

Sleep took a hold.


End file.
